Purchasing and Disposing of Computing Equipment

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October 6, 2008

As of September 2007, the Department requires that all purchases or disposal of computing equipment be handled through the Department's Information Technology (IT) staff — currently Carla Bates.

This requirement has been mandated by a University audit of the Department's operating procedures. The goal is to ensure that Department computing equipment meets University standards for Securing Private Data. The security and integrity of our data are key to our work.

Computing Equipment

  1. All purchasing of computing equipment will be handled by Department IT staff. Please confer with IT staff on a configuration or put together a quote in Techmart which you could then forward to IT staff. IT staff will determine that the machine meets minimum standards for a supportable machine and place the order. IT staff will then receive the computer or printer or camera, configure it and set it up for you. Department accountants will only approve POs or credit card charges if IT staff have indicated approval of the configuration.

  2. Computer equipment must conform to the most recent "minimum standards" for the purchase of new machines as established by CLA-OIT [see http://www.claoit.umn.edu/desktop_support/upgrades.php]

  3. Faculty and staff are asked NOT to purchase computing equipment without conferring with Department IT staff. The ability of the IT staff to secure a certain workstation or other device depends greatly on the ability of that machine to run a supported operating system, as well as respond well to ongoing maintenance.

  4. If exceptions to this procedure are necessary, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  5. The disposal of computing equipment also needs to be done through the Department IT staff. Please contact Department IT staff who will pick equipment up from offices, inventory it, wipe data from devices as needed, and arrange for the University to haul the equipment away. IT staff will process the forms necessary to remove equipment from University inventories.

Non-computing Equipment

Procedures for purchasing of non-computing equipment will remain unchanged. Disposal of such inventoried equipment should be handled through the Chair's office. Please see Guillermo DePaz